1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a terminal fitting.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,155 discloses a terminal fitting that has a tubular connecting portion with a front end. A plate-shaped resiliently deflectable contact is formed separately from the connecting portion and extends in a front-back direction in the connecting portion. A tab of a mating male terminal fitting is inserted into the connecting portion from the front and contacts the resilient contact to connect the terminal fittings electrically.
The connecting portion has a rear locking piece that is cut and bent from the bottom wall and shaped to lock the rear end part of the resilient contact portion from behind. Thus, a deflection support of the resilient contact is set before the rear locking piece.
The longitudinal length of a spring area of the resilient contact before the deflection support needs to be sufficiently long to exhibit a satisfactory springiness and to ensure smooth connection to the male tab. However, a demand for miniaturization limits the length of the terminal fitting. The rear locking piece is behind the deflection support. Thus, the length of the connecting portion is at least the sum of the longitudinal lengths of the spring area and the rear locking piece of the resilient contact. As a result, the above-described terminal fitting cannot easily meet the demand for miniaturization.
The invention was completed based on the above situation and aims to provide a terminal fitting capable of meeting a request for miniaturization and satisfactorily exhibiting the springiness of a resilient contact.